Just two hours north of Winnipeg, Manitoba is a snowy land of wolves, moose, caribou and thousands of migratory birds. At certain times of the year, beluga whales are so plentiful in the Hudson Bay that they almost look like white-capped waves drifting across the frigid waters. This pristine wilderness is also home to the world’s largest terrestrial predator, the polar bear.
In the wintertime, this Canadian land is cloaked in darkness for 20 hours a day, and temperatures can reach 40 below zero. On the frozen ice of Hudson Bay, hundreds of polar bears spend the winter hunting seals. But when the ice breaks up in June, the polar bears move ashore to socialize and prowl the shoreline. Nowhere else in the world can you get so close to such a large concentration of polar bears. In Alaska, Russia and northern Canada you can watch bears from boats and all-terrain vehicles. But Churchill Wild is the only outfitter on the planet that takes you to meet the bears face to face – on foot!
With four lodges spread out in remote, unpopulated country along the coast of the Bay, Churchill Wild conducts walking safaris into bear country. With an armed and highly experienced guide at your side, you have a 100 per cent chance of meeting the mighty bears on their own terms, in their own habitat, and the encounters are so intense you will remember them for the rest of your life.
The polar bear has a reputation for being a dangerous predator, but the managers and guides of Churchill Wild are old hands in the polar bear business, and there has never been a mishap between bears and tourists during the 40 years the company has been in operation. You can do something different at each lodge, and each is set up to appeal to a different wilderness enthusiast, ranging from flyfishing to wildlife photography to snorkeling with beluga whales.
The lodges of Churchill Wild are located in remote, fly-in locations, and in most cases the only human beings you will see during your adventure are the members of your own group. And you’ll be pleased at the exceptionally high level of accommodation and cuisine. With a smart and delicious menu that’s largely based on fresh local foods, Churchill Wild gets rave reviews from sophisticated globe-trotting eco-travelers who come expecting adventure and to their surprise and delight, get luxury too.
For more information, see travelmanitoba.com.
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